Bulletin Board: Free Tax-Form Prep at Cal State L.A.

Beginning on Saturday, Jan. 26, the Cal State L.A. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program will offer free income-tax preparation services to low- to moderate-income individuals ($50,000 or less) who need help preparing and filing tax returns. Language assistance in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Armenian and Russian will be available.

VITA services, offered through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for the 2013 tax season will take place on the third floor of Salazar Hall, room 343, on the CSULA campus. It will operate on a first-come, first-served basis from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., every Saturday, from Jan. 26 through Apr. 13. Appointments are not necessary. Click here for a list of items taxpayers need to bring with them:

http://www.calstatela.edu/programs/vita/list.html.

In addition, Cal State L.A. VITA will offer Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA) services, where taxpayers will be able to prepare their own tax returns online with minimal supervision and guidance. There is a $57,000 income limitation for this internet-based program.

“The VITA program at Cal State L.A. can also assist with non-resident returns for foreign scholars and students, as well as tax returns for undocumented students and aliens,” said Dr. David Hossain, VITA site coordinator and associate professor of accounting at Cal State L.A. “In order to enhance the services offered here at CSULA, this year we will provide on-site Financial Awareness and Money Management Sessions in coordination with the CSULA Federal Credit Union and Wells Fargo. These sessions will be running concurrently alongside with the VITA and the FSA programs.”
On Saturday, Feb. 16, Cal State L.A. VITA will also partner with the California State Board of Equalization and the IRS to host a Free Income Tax Preparation and Family Services Event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Salazar Hall, room 343. The one-day event will feature access to free tax preparation assistance, low cost and free medical services, job preparation assistance, food and nutrition service, discount telephone service and low cost auto insurance.

Since 1998, the IRS and Cal State L.A. faculty have trained CSULA students to make a difference in their communities as part of the VITA program, while providing an excellent service-learning opportunity for the final-year accounting students.

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